Coriolanus - a short review

We loathe war and even the thought of it. We loathe the slaughter, death, suffering and injuries sustained by those who choose to fight and innocents caught in the cross-fire. We loathe the misery endured by the victims of war and the affect on generations of families that follow. We abhor the destruction and the politics and yet, we praise our heroes of war, whilst simultaneously harboring a deep resentment towards them, because, unlike us, they have developed a cold and detached air from their gruesome deeds. And yet this utter detachment is necessary because if they did not do so they would not be able to continue fighting . I am continuously surprised that we are aghast with horror that soldiers are killed in war, like the outpourings that have been going on in the media about the six British soldiers killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan yesterday, bringing the overall total British soldiers killed in the war to 404. Do we expect that there will be no casualties? This afternoon I saw Coriolanus (Ralph Fiennes, 2011), a contemporary retelling of Shakespeare's play of the same name. The narrative was told through current devises for constructing  the 'truth' - back room deals, TV live news footage, mobile phones and people power. The documentary style cinematography was reminiscent of daily televised news reports on fighting in Afghanistan and Libya.  Caius Martius Coriolanus (Ralph Fiennes) is a professional soldier whose battle scars run more than skin deep. He has lost touch with the peoples 'voice', his wife, his son and his mother because of his relentless fighting and notions of superiority. This is an excellent film, and apart from Fiennes who was absolutely brilliant, I was amazed by Vanessa Redgrave who gave an outstanding performance as Caius Martius's mother Volumnia. I for one loved the Shakespearean language and was surprised that it worked so well in a contemporary setting:

All the contagion of the south light on you, You shames of Rome! you herd of--Boils and plagues Plaster you o'er, that you may be abhorr'd Further than seen and one infect another Against the wind a mile! You souls of geese, That bear the shapes of men, how have you run From slaves that apes would beat! Pluto and hell! All hurt behind; backs red, and faces pale With flight and agued fear! Mend and charge home, Or, by the fires of heaven, I'll leave the foe And make my wars on you: look to't: come on; If you'll stand fast, we'll beat them to their wives, As they us to our trenches followed.

This film was riveting and I barely shifted in my seat for the two hours of the screening. Coriolanus is currently showing at the Rivoli Cinema.